Military Celebrates Women's History Month

Published March 13, 2023
By David Vergun
DOD News

March is Women's History Month. This year's theme, "Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories," acknowledges the pioneering women, past and present, as important contributors to the achievements of the military services and civilian workforce, stated Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness in a Feb. 27 memorandum.

"We recognize the accomplishments of women in the department and their contributions to national security which helps maximize the department's warfighting capabilities," he stated, providing examples:

A pilot sits and smiles for a photo in the open cockpit of a parked aircraft. — Capt. Rosemary Mariner, the first woman to command an operational naval aviation squadron during Operation Desert Storm.

A U.S. Marine talks to a foreign service member on a field as other troops stand by. — In 2018,1st Lt. Marina Hierl became the first woman in the Marine Corps to command an infantry platoon.

An airman stands in front of an aircraft and talks to media members. — On Nov. 21, 2022, Air Force Capt. Rhea McFarland became the first African American female C-17 pilot to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for her leadership in Afghanistan.

These women and their stories represent the many untold stories in DOD of women who took on mission-critical assignments and advanced as leaders in the military, research, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, he stated.

"The department celebrates their collective victories which strengthen our workforce because we can leverage their unique experiences, perspectives and expertise in support of our mission. In addition, they inspire future generations of young women from all backgrounds who desire to be a part of the department and share in its mission," Cisneros stated.

In 1971, women made up just 1% of the military services. Ten years later, it was 8.5%

However, women at that time were not allowed to serve in combat military occupational specialties like infantry, artillery and combat aviation.

As of Oct. 2022, there were 231,147 women who made up around 18% of the department's active duty force and all jobs have opened to them in recent years. Also, about 33% of DOD civilians are women.

In the Coast Guard, as of Jan. 31, there were 6,220 active duty women out of about 41,000 total members.

In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women's History Month in perpetuity. A special presidential proclamation is issued every year which honors their extraordinary achievements to include those who have or are serving in the armed forces.

A cadet stands with right hand raised on the field of a packed stadium.

Although there were instances of women serving in the military in every U.S. war, it wasn't until World War I when policy allowed them to serve in non-combat jobs to free up men to fight.

Altogether, about 34,000 women served during World War II in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The Army only allowed women to serve as nurses.

With the end of the war on Nov. 11, 1918, women in all military branches were demobilized except for some Army and Navy nurses.

A woman wearing firefighter gear stands in front of fire vehicles.

During World War II, the military once again faced a manpower shortage as they had in World War I. The services began accepting women who served in the Women's Army Corps; the Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, more commonly known as WAVES; the Marine Corps Women's Reserve; and the Coast Guard Women's Reserve.

The acronym for the Coast Guard Women's Reserve, interestingly, is SPAR, which stands for Semper Paratus — Always Ready. Semper Paratus is Latin for always ready.

In June 1948 President Harry S. Truman signed the Women's Armed Service Integration Act allowing women to receive regular permanent status in the armed forces, which by then included the Air Force.

International Women's Day

In addition to Women's History Month, there's also International Women's Day, which is celebrated March 8 of each year.

A woman poses for a photo while standing in front of a jet.

In a statement on that day, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III noted that DOD "recognizes the tremendous, enduring contributions that women soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, guardians and civilian employees have made in service to our country."

From America's first days, women have made profound sacrifices. They have made innovative contributions to national security and blazed trails for future generations, he stated.

Since the Revolutionary War, more than 3 million women have served, even before the military fully recognized their service, he noted.

A woman looks at a helicopter propeller.

"Though the Department has made significant progress to break down stubborn barriers for women in the U.S. military, we know that we still have more to do to promote inclusion and well-being and to give all our teammates the opportunity to rise to their full potential," Austin stated.

"I am personally committed to this vital work. To ensure that we continue to have the strongest fighting force in the world, we must draw on the full power of all our people," he added.

Spotlight: Women's History Month Spotlight: Women's History Month: https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/womens-history-month/

Capt. Rosemary Mariner, the first woman to command an operational naval aviation squadron during Operation Desert Storm.

In 2018,1st Lt. Marina Hierl became the first woman in the Marine Corps to command an infantry platoon.

On Nov. 21, 2022, Air Force Capt. Rhea McFarland became the first African American female C-17 pilot to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for her leadership in Afghanistan.

International Women's Day